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Heading out for the first time on open water on Saturday (hope the pond is open) and was wondering what you guys have had success with early on in the year. The ice on most lakes around this are have been off for about a week, but I cannot give an educated answer on what the water temps are.

I've heard jigs and jerkbaits worked slow, but was hoping for any other suggestions. Anybody tried dropshotting this early???

They way the weather has been around here, most lakes are ice free now, and my home lake will be very soon. I will be out there as the last chunk of ice is melting. Has been that way for several years now, and based on trial and error over that time the rods on my deck the first day will have the following tied on:

Football jig

Drop Shot

Tube

Lipless crank bait

The water is usually pretty stained immediatly after ice out, and cold...high 30's at best. Personally I leave the jerkbaits in the box till the water warms up to the mid 40's AND clears up.

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They way the weather has been around here, most lakes are ice free now, and my home lake will be very soon. I will be out there as the last chunk of ice is melting. Has been that way for several years now, and based on trial and error over that time the rods on my deck the first day will have the following tied on:

Football jig

Drop Shot

Tube

Lipless crank bait

The water is usually pretty stained immediatly after ice out, and cold...high 30's at best. Personally I leave the jerkbaits in the box till the water warms up to the mid 40's AND clears up.

This. I am heading out for hopefully the first time of the year tomorrow as the weather is supposed to reach the 50's!

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Heading out to the ponds to give it a try today. Ice was out a few days ago around here. Todays weather though is not going to be fun, 41 degrees, rain/snow and 17mph winds, but I can't wait any more for I gots to go fishing!

In the past the jig & pig has been my go to lure for ice out but with these winds today I think I am going to have to break out the old 4.4:1 reels and try slow rolling a spinnerbait or maybe try slow cranking a Bomber 6a. In any event. as KVD would say. " IT'S GAME TIME" !

When I go out for the first time, there are still some chunks of ice on the water as well. I usually start the year out with a lipless crankbait, a jerkbait, and a jig. I look for the warmest water and start there. A lot of times this ends up being on the wind blown shore of the lake or pond, because the warmer water from the surface is getting pushed by the wind and piling up on the shoreline.

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They way the weather has been around here, most lakes are ice free now, and my home lake will be very soon. I will be out there as the last chunk of ice is melting. Has been that way for several years now, and based on trial and error over that time the rods on my deck the first day will have the following tied on:

Football jig

Drop Shot

Tube

Lipless crank bait

The water is usually pretty stained immediatly after ice out, and cold...high 30's at best. Personally I leave the jerkbaits in the box till the water warms up to the mid 40's AND clears up.